Civil Service: Performance Pay

Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Statement by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 31 March (WS 83-84), what was the estimated size of the Department for Energy and Climate Change or its predecessors' non-consolidated performance-related pay pot for the senior Civil Service, in each of the past five years for which information is available.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: DECC was established on 3 October 2008, and as such does not yet have a non-consolidated performance-related pay pot. The guidance on Senior Civil Service pay and bonus awards for 2009 has only just been received and the department's management board has not yet made any decisions on bonus awards for this year.

Climate Change

Lord Leach of Fairford: To ask Her Majesty's Government at what point during the period of warming since the little ice age they consider that an anthropogenic warming signal greater than 0.25ºC per century was observed; and what the implications are for climate change policy.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The so-called little ice age generally refers to a relatively cool period between the 17th and mid-19th centuries in the north Atlantic region. There is no evidence that this was a global event. Global average temperature has risen by approximately 0.7 degrees centigrade since the late 19th century and the long-term upward trend appears to have begun in the early part of the 20th century. The IPCC's fourth assessment report concluded that human activity was responsible for most of this warming—in particular, that it is very likely (more than 90 per cent chance) that greenhouse gas emissions were responsible for most of the warming over the past 50 years, and likely (more than 66 per cent chance) that greenhouse gases caused some of the warming during the early 20th century. The average rate of warming over the 20th century was 0.74 degrees centigrade/century and nearly double that (1.28 degrees centigrade/century) in the second half. It is not possible to identify the exact date when an anthropogenic warming signal greater than 0.25 degrees centigrade per century (or 0.025 degrees centigrade per decade) was observed without performing complex analyses, but it is clear that the anthropogenic warming signal has been significantly greater than 0.25 degrees centigrade over the past century as a whole.

Climate Change

Lord Leach of Fairford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the rate of increase in global mean surface temperatures between 1975 and 1998 was similar to the rates of increase observed between 1860 and 1880 and between 1910 and 1940; and, if so, what the implications are for their policy on anthropogenic warming.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Observations collated at the Met Office Hadley Centre and the University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit indicate that the rate of increase in global average surface temperature between 1975 and 1998 was similar to the rates of increase observed between 1860 and 1880 and between 1910 and 1940 (approximately 0.16 degrees centigrade per decade). This observation has no implications for our policy on anthropogenic warming.
	Little can be deduced from relatively short periods in the temperature record taken in isolation from the overall picture. Temperatures fluctuate in response to both man-made factors (such as emissions of greenhouse gases) and natural factors (such as volcanic eruptions, changes in solar activity and internal variability within the climate system), and different combinations of these factors can cause temperatures to change at similar rates for limited periods of time. In its assessment of the whole global temperature record from 1860, the IPCC, in its fourth assessment report, concluded that it is very likely (more than 90 per cent chance) that greenhouse gas emissions were responsible for most of the warming over the past 50 years, and likely (more than more than 66 per cent chance) that greenhouse gases caused some of the warming during the early 20th century. The IPCC also showed that in the absence of actions to limit greenhouse gas emissions, temperatures will continue to rise through the 21st century by between 1.8 and 4 degrees centigrade. This raises the prospect of dangerous levels of climate change, which the Government remain committed to avoid through concerted international and domestic actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Short-term fluctuations in the historic temperature record have no implications for this policy.

Climate Change

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support the aim of the Government of Sweden to finalise a global climate change agreement by the end of their European Union presidency in December.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The UK remains committed to agreeing at the UNFCCC meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009 a comprehensive, global and long-term framework for addressing climate change. The UK offers full support to the Swedish EU presidency in achieving this.

Climate Change: Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 19 March (Official Report, House of Lords, cols. 329-32), how their policies encourage a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions; and how that is being measured.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 19 March (Official Report, House of Lords, cols. 329-32), how signing up to targets results in a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 19 March (Official Report, House of Lords, cols. 329-32), what financial support they are giving to implementing policies and attaining targets relating to carbon dioxide emissions.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government have a comprehensive set of policies in place to tackle carbon dioxide emissions, set out in the 2006 climate change programme and the 2007 energy White Paper. More recently, the Government have announced further ambitious goals on renewable heat and reducing emissions from transport. In setting policies to reduce emissions, the Government follow the framework set out in the Stern review on the economics of climate change.
	Lord Stern noted that the costs of moving to a low-carbon economy could be minimised with a policy framework that is credible, predictable and flexible, and that is built around three elements. First, establish a carbon price associated with the emissions of greenhouse gases, so that businesses and individuals are able to factor the cost of damages caused by climate change into their decisions. Secondly, encourage innovation in low-carbon technologies, through policies that address separately the market failures associated with innovation and bring forward low-carbon technologies in a timely and cost-effective way. Thirdly, remove barriers to action, as there are many other opportunities to reduce emissions that are unlikely to be taken up without policies to encourage long-term behaviour change, and to overcome other barriers that may prevent or deter individuals and businesses from taking cost-effective action to reduce their emissions, particularly on energy efficiency.
	The Government provide financial support for the second and third elements of this framework. Some of the main ways that they do this are as follows (figures are budgets for 2008-09):
	
		
			 Carbon Trust £89 million 
			 Energy Saving Trust £35 million 
			 Environmental Transformation Fund £90 million 
			 Act on CO2 campaign £13 million 
		
	
	The UK's historical greenhouse gas emissions are recorded in an annual inventory, which is compiled in accordance with international reporting guidelines and best practice guidance, and submitted to the UNFCCC and to the EU. Emissions estimates are produced by multiplying activity data (such as the quantity of fuel sold) by appropriate emissions factors (such as the CO2 emissions per unit of fuel). Encouraging people to choose more efficient vehicles or to drive less, for example, would reduce the quantity of fuel sold, while blending biofuels with petrol or diesel would reduce the net CO2 emissions per unit of fuel.
	The Government estimate the carbon savings that a policy is likely to achieve before it is introduced. But, ultimately, the carbon savings that a policy is actually delivering show up as lower emissions in the emissions inventory.
	While targets do not themselves reduce emissions, they are, as the Stern review noted, a key part of the policy framework. They help provide credibility and predictability, which gives businesses and individuals the confidence to invest in energy efficiency improvements and other low-carbon technologies. This is one of the reasons why the Government introduced the Climate Change Act.

Climate Change: Global Warming

Lord Williams of Elvel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their estimates of global warming for each of the years 1998 to 2008 inclusive; and what is the cumulative estimate for the whole period.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Observations collated at the Met Office Hadley Centre and the University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit indicate that global average near-surface temperatures during each of the years 1998 to 2008 inclusive, relative to the late 19th century (1861-1900), were: 0.80, 0.55, 0.53, 0.69, 0.74, 0.75, 0.72, 0.77, 0.71, 0.69 and 0.60 degrees centigrade. The average for the period was 0.69 degrees centigrade warmer than the late 19th century. Much of this average warming can be ascribed to human activities and nine of the 10 warmest years on record all occurred between 1998 and 2008. It should be noted that short-timescale natural fluctuations in temperature are superimposed upon the long-term underlying warming trend due to increases in greenhouse gases, such that differences between individual years do not fit the underlying trend.

Energy: Biofuels

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much United States-produced biodiesel is exported to the European Union; and what is the total tax exemption accrued as a result.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Information contained in Commission regulation (EC) No. 193/2009 of 11 March 2009 indicates that approximately 1.1 million tonnes of biodiesel were exported to the European Union from the United States in 2007-08. This represents 17 per cent of the market share in the EU.
	It is not possible to assess the total tax exemption from these data, as this figure is dependent on different duty differentials in all EU countries.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that, prior to appointing or re-appointing commissioners of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, vacancies will be advertised and selection will be carried out independently and on merit.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The whole selection process for appointing commissioners to the Equality and Human Rights Commission board is based on open competition and follows the code of practice on public appointments. Positions arising will be widely advertised in order to ensure openness and transparency in the process and to encourage the widest range of possible candidates from around Great Britain. Candidates are selected on merit and will have to meet the standards of an independent panel before they can be considered for appointment. The Minister for Women and Equality has the final decision on appointments, based on the panel's recommendations.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 31 March (WA 220-21), why the Equality and Human Rights Commission has not published the results of its staff opinion survey; whether that decision accords with the wishes of Equality and Human Rights Commission staff; and whether they will press the Equality and Human Rights Commission to make the results public.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Non-departmental public bodies such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission operate with independence from the Government and can decide whether or not to publish the results of any survey they choose to conduct. The commission did not intend to make public the results of its survey. The survey presents an opportunity for staff to share their views within the commission, and to work collaboratively on a way forward. The commission intends that surveys will be annual, to enable colleague engagement and cultural development within the commission to be monitored.

Northern Ireland Office: Allowances

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 19 March (WA 79) concerning payments to staff in the Northern Ireland Office, how many officials received allowances in addition to their salaries in each of the past five years.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The number of staff in the Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, who received an allowance in addition to their salary in each of the past five years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial Year Staff Numbers 
			 2003-04 1,030 
			 2004-05 1,089 
			 2005-06 1,189 
			 2006-07 1,231 
			 2007-08 1,249

Northern Ireland Office: Allowances

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose any increase in allowances paid to staff of the Northern Ireland Office in the current and next financial year.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: There are no current proposals to increase allowances paid to Northern Ireland Office staff in this, or the next, financial year.

Northern Ireland Office: Bonuses

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 30 March (WA 198) concerning the payment of bonuses to staff of the Northern Ireland Office, whether her Answers on 28 January (WA 62) and 17 March (WA 26) explain why the non-consolidated performance element of pay for staff at grades D2 to A is less than one-seventeenth of that for senior civil servants.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: As explained in the Answer given on 17 March 2009 (Official Report, col. WA 26), the arrangements for the non-consolidated performance elements of pay for staff at grades D2 to A and those for senior civil servants are separate.

Northern Ireland Office: Taxis

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 30 March (WA 198-99) concerning the cost of providing information about taxi expenses for officials of the Northern Ireland Office, in developing its calculation, how long the Northern Ireland Office's Financial Services Division considered it took to examine one claim.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Calculating expenditure on taxis reimbursed through the travel and subsistence system for the first two weeks of 2007-08 would involve a detailed manual review of every single travel and subsistence claim submitted for a period of up to four months given that staff are permitted to submit claims up to three months after the month in which the costs were incurred. Therefore taxi costs incurred in April could be claimed up until the end of July.
	There were 4,814 claims during 2007-08 so the period to the end of July represents, on average, over 1,600 claims. It is estimated that the process of retrieving, reviewing, calculating the taxi cost and compiling the relevant information would take, on average, two to three minutes per claim. It is estimated that this process alone would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £750. In addition it would also be necessary, in order to review the information for accuracy and completeness, to carry a spot check of, say, 10 per cent of claims and there would be other costs involved in preparing the Answer to the Question.

Nuclear Plants: Security

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the role of the Office of Civil Nuclear Security.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) is the security regulator for the UK's civil nuclear industry. It regulates security arrangements for the protection of nuclear and radioactive material on licensed civil nuclear sites, nuclear transports and sensitive information under the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003. The OCNS is part of the Health and Safety Executive and conducts its regulatory activities on behalf of the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.